Category: Vegan Indian

by betsy

Inaugural Blooming Platter “Vegan Q & A Tuesday” with Bryanna Clark Grogan + Bryanna’s Indian-Spiced Lentil Salad

Based on Actor’s Studio host’s James Lipton’s famous “Q & A”–after the Proust Questionnaire–“Vegan Q & A Tuesday” is The Blooming Platter’s new first Tuesday feature on a creative force in the vegan culinary world.  Read more about “Q & A Tuesday” HERE.

Bryanna cropFeatured Force: 

Bryanna Clark Grogan

(See below for Bryanna’s Indian-Spiced Lentil Salad recipe.)

Vegan since 1988, author World Vegan Feast & 7 more vegan cookbooks, Bryanna has devoted over 40 years to the study of cooking & nutrition.  She developed the recipes for Dr. Neal Barnard’s Program for Reversing Diabetes, & contributed recipes to Howard Lyman’s No More Bull! & Cooking with PETA. She has appeared at Vegetarian SummerFest, Vegetarian Awakening, Portland VegFest, McDougall Celebrity Chef Weekend, VidaVeganCon, & Seattle VegFest. She also runs a small library branch and likes to bellydance & read mysteries. She lives on Denman Is., Bc, Canada, with her photographer/baker husband Brian, dog Phoebe, & cats Ringo & Sadie. She has 4 grown kids, 2 stepsons and 7 grandchildren.

 1.  What is your favorite culinary word?

It would have to be “Umami”– the Japanese word for “The Fifth Flavor”, which means, more or less, “the essence of deliciousness”.  Isn’t that wonderful?

2.  What is your least favorite culinary word?

“Superfood”—there are no “superfoods”!  It’s a marketing ploy. 

3.  What about cooking turns you on?

I think part of it is the creativity and inventiveness, which often leads to a wonderful dish or meal. Sometimes I wake up thinking about some idea for a dish that I want to make. One can compare it to painting, but we cooks can enjoy eating our creations!  There is also the mystery—how will it turn out?  Will it live up to expectations?  And, in addition, there is the pleasure of discovery—learning the science of cooking, how ingredients work together, what methods improve the result, etc.

4.  What about cooking turns you off?

Hmmmm… that’s a tough one.  The clean-up, perhaps?

5.  What cooking or dining sound or noise do you love?

There are many. The “snap” of breaking celery or snap peas; the sizzle of breaded marinated tofu sliding into hot olive oil; knife on wooden cutting board as one chops onions, etc.; the “glug” of wine being poured into a sauce; the quiet clinking of dining utensils during a lull in the dinner conversation, when guests are enjoying their food so much that they cease to converse.

6.  What cooking or dining sound or noise do you hate?

Slurping!

7.  What makes you curse in the kitchen?

Cutting myself; spilling something messy, such as oil or tomato sauce; finding out I turned on the wrong burner; burning something.

8.  What cooking profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

Rather than being a cookbook writer, from the limited amount of teaching workshops I’ve done, it might be very satisfying to be a cooking teacher.

9.  What cooking profession would you not like to do?

I would not like to do anything that entailed making the same thing, or few things, over and over.

10.  If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates?

“One of the perks here is that you can have anything you like to eat, you won’t get fat, and you can have full access to the Heavenly Kitchens, if you like.”

Bryanna’s Indian-Spiced Lentil Salad

 Indian lentil saladServes 6

 5 1/2 to 6 cups cooked or canned brown lentils, drained (or 2 cups dried)

4 small carrots, peeled and grated

6 large green onions, chopped

3 stalks celery, with leaves, chopped

1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 medium cucumber, diced (I use the English type that you don’t have to peel)

DRESSING:

1 cup Mango Salsa (see homemade recipe and notes below recipe)

3/4 cup Low-Fat Oil Substitute for Salad Dressings or broth from cooking chickpeas

6 tablespoons olive oil

1/3 cup cider vinegar

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon dried mint leaves (or 3 tablespoons fresh, chopped)

1 tablespoon dried cilantro leaves (or 3 tablespoons fresh, chopped)

2 teaspoons tandoor masala

1 teaspoon salt

 If you are starting with dried lentils (which do not need pre-soaking):

Pick over the lentils to remove debris or shriveled lentils, rinse, and drain. Cover with water or broth and boil for 2 to 3 minutes (to aid in digestion). Reduce the heat and simmer gently, covered, until tender. Depending on the variety and age, cooking time may take anywhere from 10 minutes to 1 hour.  They should be tender, but firm, so do not overcook them or let them get mushy.  Drain them well (handling gently) and cool completely, then measure out.

To make the salad:

Combine the first 6 ingredients carefully in a salad bowl.

Whisk the Dressing ingredients together well, or mix them briefly in a blender or with a hand immersion/stick blender.

Fold the Dressing into the salad. Cover and refrigerate. Try to bring the salad to room temperature before serving.

To serve, I pile it on top of some organic greens and garnish each serving with sliced fresh mango and avocado.

Nutrition (per serving): 397.3 calories; 32% calories from fat; 14.6g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 625.7mg sodium; 1194.7mg potassium; 53.1g carbohydrates; 17.8g fiber; 12.3g sugar; 35.4g net carbs; 18.6g protein; 8.4 points.

 

EASY MANGO (OR PEACH)-TOMATO SALSA

3 cups diced fully ripened tomatoes, roughly pureed in a food processor or with a hand immersion/stick blender

2 cups diced fresh mango (or use ripe peaches instead)

1/4 sliced green onions

1 tbs minced jalapeno pepper, seeds removed (optional)

2 1/2 tsp. grated fresh ginger or one tsp ground ginger

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 tbs. lime juice

Mix ingredients together well and refrigerate until using in a covered container.

 

Commercial Mango or Peach and Tomato Salsas:

D.L. Jardine’s Peach Salsa

PC [President’s Choice, a Canadian brand] Mango and Lime Salsa

Pearson Farm Georgia-Style Peach Salsa

Victoria Fruit Salsa

 

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by betsy

Vegan Indian Cashew Swiss Chard, Kale or Spinach–A Rich Luscious Feast of a Dish

Indian Cashew SpinachYield: 4 to 6 servings

[If you want to skip the back story, simply click HERE for the recipe on One Green Planet.]

Somehow, my planning hadn’t been very good, as we were about to leave town for five days and I had two bunches of hardy Red Russian Kale and 1 of beautiful rainbow Swiss Chard in our fridge.

Knowing it wouldn’t keep, I thought about making a pesto to freeze, but lately I have been Jonesin’ for Indian food big-time.  So, I decided that if I made a very thick  saag without anything that doesn’t freeze perfectly, like coconut milk, I could pop it in the freezer and enjoy when we returned home.

Not only did it freeze beautifully, but it tasted wonderful before and after freezing with a texture to match!

This amount of greens and onions sounds like a mountain, but it only makes 4 to 6 servings because I chop the greens so finely and it all cooks down significantly.

I served this Indian Cashew Spinach over grilled tempeh, but it would be good over cooked Basmati rice or with just about anything, including a spoon!

For the recipe, visit my pals at One Green Planet by clicking HERE.

(IMPORTANT NOTE: OGP has recently gone through a website redesign, are aware that advertisements sometimes prevent folks from accessing recipes and are working to remedy the situation.  PLEASE, if you experience this, let me know via comment or email and I will send you the recipe directly as well as let them know.  The last thing I want is to put this much effort into recipes only to find out that interested cooks can’t access them.  Thanks so much!)

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by betsy

Vegan Coconut Dal with Tomatoes and Funengreek (Methi)

Yield: 6 servings

I have been absolutely wild for Indian food ever since I discovered it while living in Nashville in the late 1980s.  I treated myself to a huge Indian buffet for lunch on more Sundays than I can count.  My heart would start beating faster at the first whiff of those heady aromas, heck, at the first glimpse of the restaurant’s sign.  Ever since, I’ve sought out my beloved Indian cuisine from New York to London and points in between.

It’s unthinkable now, but when we first moved to Virginia, there were no Indian restaurants, so I taught myself how to cook some of my favorite dishes using one of Julie Sahni’s cookbooks.  Now I feel confident enough to create my own recipes, and this sumptuous rendition of Coconut Dal is my newest creation, just a week or so old.  Enjoy!

1 pound orange lentils, picked over, rinsed and drained

4 cups water or vegetable stock

1-15.5 ounce can coconut milk

Pinch of sea salt

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 stick cinnamon

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 medium onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice

1/2 of an Annaheim pepper, seeds and pulp removed, finely diced

2 medium cloves garlic, finely diced

1 1/2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled, and very finely chopped

1 tablespoon vegan buter (I like Earth Balance)

2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 teaspoons funengreek (methi) seeds, ground (I use a coffee grinder devoted to spices)

1 teaspoon turmeric

2 small-medium fresh tomatoes, diced (about 1 cup)

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Sea salt to taste

Accompaniment: cooked basmati rice, roasted and lightly salted cashew halves and pieces, cilantro sprigs

In a two-quart saucepan combine, dal, water, cocont milk, and a pinch of salt.  Cover and bring to a gentl boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes or until tender.   Lentils will break down and become creamy.    The ideal consistency should be a little “soupy,” rather than porridge-like, so add additional water or vegetable stock if desired.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high.  Add the cinnamon stick and cumin seeds and saute, stirring, for about 30 seconds.  Add the onion and saute, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 3 minutes or until transluscent.   Add the Annaheim pepper, garlic, ginger, and vegan butter, and saute, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 3 minutes or until tender.   Stir in coriander, funengreek, and turmeric and saute, stirring, for about a minute.

When lentils are tender, remove the cinnamon stick from the onion mixture, and stir the latter into the lentils.  Turn off the heat, adjust the seasoning with ground spices and/or salt if desired (not cumin seeds at this point, as they need to toast), and gently stir in tomatoes and cilantro.  Serve immediately over basmati rice, sprinkle with cashews and cilantro, and serve immediately.  Alternatively, I like to serve a shallow bowl of the dal with a scoop of rice in the center like an island, garnished with cashews and cilantro.

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by betsy

Blooming Platter Cookbook Indian Saag Dip Featured in One Green Planet’s Inaugural “Green of the Month” Series

This month, One Green Planet (OGP), launched its new “Green of the Month” series.  First up: Spinach!

As a blogger for OGP, I received an announcement of the series, and the Indian Saag Dip from my Blooming Platter Cookbook jumped immediately to mind.  So I submitted it for review yesterday and, much to my delight, Team OGP published it today!

This fresh, beautiful, and spicy dip was a hit at my all girls “Christmas, Chanukkah, Curry & Cakes” party in December, and I think it will be a hit with you whenever fresh spinach is in season.   And since it’s green and since St. Patty’s Day is next Saturday…maybe a little cross-cultural Indian and Irish celebration is in order!

Just follow THIS LINK for the scrumptious recipe.

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by betsy

Crash the Superbowl Snack Recipe #4: Vegan Indian Cauliflower with Black Mustard Seeds

Note: I inadvertently skipped yesterday in my Crash the Superbowl Snack Recipe countdown, so I will make up for it by posting two today.  Sorry about that!

 

Yield: 4 servings

Okay, I admit it: Indian dishes aren’t the first thing that pops into my mind when I think of the Superbowl.

But someone recently singled out this photo from my album of Blooming Platter Cookbook winter dishes on Facebook and I was reminded of how pretty it is.  But I was also reminded of a Christmas Eve party that my family has attended for many years.  Annually on the menu is a huge bowl of marinated cauliflower, rings of fresh onion, black olives and shrimp (which I avoid) served with toothpicks.  Everyone always enjoyed it and it was fun to eat.

So it occurred to me, though it’s not your standard Superbowl fare, that a big platter of my Indian Cauliflower set out with toothpicks would easily serve and satisfy a crowd.  It is fragrant, simple and delicious. Try using orange cauliflower when making the recipe; it tastes the same as white and it looks beautiful with the black mustard seeds (see photo).

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 cup chopped onion

1 head white or orange cauliflower, cut into small florets

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup water

1 tablespoon vegan butter

1 tablespoon black mustard seeds

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, optional

 

1.  Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until golden. Add the cauliflower, coriander, turmeric, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the water and simmer until the cauliflower is tender and most of the water is absorbed, 3 to 5 minutes.

2. In a small skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the mustard seeds and cook for 2 minutes.

3. To serve, transfer the cauliflower to a serving platter, drizzle with the mustard seed mixture and sprinkle with cilantro, if using. Serve hot (or room temperature).

 

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by betsy

Vegan Recipes from The Blooming Platter Cookbook and Charitable Giving Were on the Menu at the 11th Annual “Christmas, Chanukah, Curry & Cakes” Party and Swap

Maggie Test, Betsy DiJulio, & Suzanne Jonson

Move over Guy Fieri!  Your “Triple D” has nothing on our “Quadruple C”!

Plus, no animals are harmed in the making of “Christmas, Chanukah, Curry & Cakes”–unlike “Diners, Drive-Ins, & Dives”!–my 11th annual all-girls vegan holiday party.

The Brief History

Every year, on the second Wednesday in December for the last decade, 20 of my “tribe” have gathered at Joe’s and my home for a curry buffet dinner and special cakes, cookies or other confections.  The party is beloved of all and it is a very special treat for me to feed my nearest and dearest a beautiful and nutritious veg meal (well, the desserts are beautiful if not terribly nutritious), and gift them with ornaments, picture frames or, one year, miniature cookbooks.

The Swap

But, this year, for some reason, I wanted to change it up a bit.  I especially wanted to host a “Swap.”   You know about swaps, yes?  All of the guests bring nice, but unwanted or unneeded household and garden goods, as well as clothing and accessories.  Then, using one of several methods for redistributing the goods, everyone goes home with items more to their liking.  It is especially perfect this time of year because guests can “shop” for free holiday gifts, which is very welcome in this economy.

The procedure I decided on was to have each guest write her name on a clothespin, one for each item that she brought.  The clothespins then become currency for “buying” other items.  Realizing on my way home from school the day of the party that there would be no way to tell my own possessions that I want to keep(!) from those that were up for grabs, I decided to have each guest also fill out an index card to place with each item.  A draped table in our foyer topped with a pretty vase of clothespins, a bowl of index cards (that matched our decor!), and a couple of containers that held a spectrum of colored Sharpie markers provided the perfect staging area.  I simply explained the process to the first guests to arrive and they to the next and so on.  It was so fun to watch our living room and den be transformed into an eclectic upscale boutique.

What happens if more than one person “pins” the same item?  As one friend said, “Girl Fight!”  What actually happens is really fun.  As a group, we moved through each room, stopping when we came upon items with two or  more pins.  The pins went into a festive wine bag, I shook them up amidst good-natured chanting and ribbing, and asked someone to draw.  Whoever’s name is drawn is the “winner” of the item, but the other person(s) gets to select something else.

Adding a 5th C: Charity

After the swap, there were unclaimed items in which people had interest, so they asked if they could make a donation to charity through me and “purchase” the items.  I thought that was a great idea, so they discreetly tucked bills into the clothespin vase and chose the merchandise they wanted.  When everyone was gone I discovered that we had collected $50!  Wanting, in the spirit of CCC & C, to donate to a women’s or to a food-related charity, I discovered A Well-Fed World whose tagline is “Feeding People/Saving Animals” because their mission is certainly in the spirit of CCC & C.  Just click on the link to read all about their important work and, perhaps, make a donation.  With just a few items remaining, I made short order of  boxing and bagging them up, dropping them off Saturday morning at a nearby thrift store that benefits our Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters.

The Food

Since I wanted everyone to freely browse, I decided that “finger food” and small plates were in order.  I have lots of favorite appetizers from my Blooming Platter Cookbook, so I thumbed through the fall and winter sections choosing hot, room temperature and cold dishes and crafting the following easy menu.  It was a huge hit with all of the guests.

The Tangy Indian White Peas were the only dish not from the cookbook, but I had to make them because, though I had run into an Indian market just for puri to serve with the Saag Dip, the nicest fellow shopper–an Indian–shared a recipe with me, leading me around the store to show me what I needed.  The “recipe” is simply the white beans cooked until soft in salted water seasoned with a little turmeric until all of the water has evaporated.  Into that mixture is stirred prepared mint chutney and, my addition, a little cilantro and mango chutneys for good measure.  Delish and ultra easy!

Christmas, Chanukah, Curry & Cakes 2011

~Menu~

*Bloomin’ Broccoli Dip &

*Curried Cous-cous in Miniature Puff Pastry Cups

*Indian Saag Dip with Rice Crackers

Tangy Indian White Peas in Mini Puri

*Lavender Shortbread Cookies

Prosecco**

*From The Blooming Platter Cookbook:  A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes.

**For the uninitiated, Prosecco is Italian white sparkling wine that complements everything, especially vegan food.  But my husband loves it, too, and he is “a vegan and more.”  I first learned of it from Italian celebrity chef, Giada de Laurentiis.  It is ridiculously affordable, even in restaurants, at about $30/bottle.  But, at Trader Joe’s, a very respectable bottle can be had for about 5 bucks!  For a New Year’s post, I plan to share my very special way of serving it.  Stay tuned!

Since CCC & C is all about sharing, it is my pleasure to share one of the recipes that I served from the cookbook with you here.  For the others, I hope you’ll consider snagging a copy of the book for yourself and your friends!

Blooming Broccoli Dip

Yield: 4 cups

I chose this dip because it’s a crowd pleaser and because our farm market has been harvesting lovely heads of broccoli this fall and winter.  Note: I tripled the recipe to serve 20 and I’m glad I did because there was none left over!

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoons maple syrup

1/4 teaspoon curry powder (or to taste)

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 cups small broccoli florets

1/2 cup chopped red or orange bell pepper (or a combination)

2/3 cup golden raisins

2 scallions, thinly sliced

Vegenaise or other vegan mayo (start with 3 tablespoons and add more as desired)

3 ounces smoked almonds, finely chopped

In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, vinegar, maple syrup, curry powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Whisk well to combine. Add the broccoli, bell peppers, raisins, and scallions and toss to mix well. Fold in the mayo, a few tablespoons at a time, until the desired consistency is reached. Reserve any leftover mayo. Refrigerate the broccoli mixture, covered, several hours or overnight. Fold in the almonds just before serving. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve chilled.

l to r: Blooming Broccoli Dip, Mini Puff Pastry Cups, & Curried Cous-Cous

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by betsy

The Blooming Platter Cookbook’s Vegan Sweet Potato Latkes with Chutney-Sour Cream and Curried Onion-Apple-White Bean Topping Published on One Green Planet

With Hanukkah and other winter holidays just around the corner, I was thrilled that One Green Planet (OGP) published my latkes recipe from The Blooming Platter Cookbook (TBPC) to which I added a couple of tasty toppings to make them more of a tapas-style meal.

Consider them dressed up for the season!

Find the recipe and a little about their inspiration here.

Thanks OGP for making our holidays and our world just a little greener!

To purchase TBPC, just click on the title in RED above.

 

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by betsy

Vegan Bombay Lentil Sloppy Joes

Yield: 4-6 servings

Here, my Sloppy Joes aren’t so sloppy.  I neatened them up a bit by serving them on a rice cracker boat lined with a fresh baby spinach leaf fora little starter or lite lunch.  But I served the mixture on whole wheat buns for my AP Students end-of-year dinner.  These more traditional “Joes,” with their nod to India, were a hit with these teenagers!

For my presentation here, I particularly like the “Sweet Chili” flavor of Quaker Oats Rice Snacks.  That is, I liked them until I discovered the monosodium glutamate in the ingredient list.  After a quick scan, I had been delighted that they didn’t contain whey or any other dairy as so many of the “ranch style” and other flavored chips/crackers do.  But, when I bought them a second time, a closer read revealed the MSG.  Darn! Alas, the “Joe” mixture is delicious on Melba Toast.

But back to the yummy filling: the lentils give it a texture somewhat similar to ground meat–so crumbled tempeh would be a fine substitute–and the flavor is rich and tomato-y like traditional Sloppy Joes, but raisins and spices give the dish warm undertones of India.

Usually when I’m creating a recipe, I am meticulous about writing down the ingredients and precise amounts.  However, in this case, I had purchased crushed tomatoes with basil because that’s all Trader Joe’s had, so the flavor was all wrong for what I sought.  I started grabbing spices and adding them by the spoonful in order to mask the Italian flavor and punch up the Indian.

The result was so good that I wish I hadn’t been so frantic.  At any rate, I remade the recipe for a report and videographer from WAVY TV yesterday when they were here to tape and the results were at least as good, if not better.  This time I got the measurements down exactly right.  Though inspired by Aarti Sequeira’s  Bombay Sloppy Joes, I not only substituted lentils, but used loads of additional spices.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 medium yellow onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice

2 cloves garlic

1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch dice

1 tablespoon grated ginger

1 small mild (or spicy!) chili pepper, seeded and finely chopped

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon paprika + 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (or 1 teaspoon of either one)

sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper to taste

1/2 cup water

1 cup diced tomatoes with juice

1 cup tomato sauce (I just blended some of the diced tomatoes and juice)

1 pound steamed lentils (I purchase them already steamed at Trader Joe’s)

1/4 cup shelled pistachios

1/4 cup golden raisins (or dried cranberries)

1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses or agave nectar

1/4 cup very thick coconut milk (like Chaokoh) or soy creamer

Optional (but delish): about 1/4 cup of chopped fresh cilantro

Accompaniments: 4-6 whole wheat buns, if serving as Sloppy Joes, poppadom if serving as an Indian “tostato,” or crackers/toasts if serving as an appetizer

Optional: small fresh baby spinach leaves to line the cracker before adding the Sloppy Joe mixture

In a large cast iron skillet over medium-high, heat olive oil to shimmering.  Add onions and saute about  3 minutes, stirring frequently, until soft and some color is just starting to develop.  If you want to caramelize them for deeper color, keep sauteeing for a few more minutes and stirring until a warm caramel-y brown is reached.  Add garlic and bell pepper and saute 3 minutes more or until bell pepper is softened.  Lower heat if necessary to prevent garlic from scorching.  Add ginger and chili pepper and saute another minute or so until pepper is softened.  Add cumin, coriander, turmeric, cardamom, paprika, and salt and pepper to taste.  Stir to combine well, and saute about 1 more minute for flavors to release.  Stir in water, diced tomatoes and tomato sauce.  Heat through, stirring frequently.  Stir in lentils followed by pistachios and raisins.  Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.  Stir in pomegranate molasses and soy creamer just until heated through.  Right before serving, stir in optional cilantro.  Serve hot over hamburger buns, spooned over a poppadom like a tostato, or in a bowl surrounded by crackers/toasts as a filling protein-rich appetizer.

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